Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge VI

And now for Part II (again).

Originally Posted by The Faceless

Since then, Faceless has wandered through the world, assuming personalities as he goes. The roar of the crowd, the confidence of a king, the satisfaction of the perfect kill, all of these are his. Sometimes, he wonders why he does what he does, and where that young boy went. In taking on roles, it may be that he has lost any role of his own.

Divine Spells: Prepared by using Aptitude focus at the start of the day, then swapped for Arcane Focus. This gives access to useful long-duration buffs. CL 14 (buffed to 16 using Sonorous hum with wand of Harmonic Chorus, and to 20 for GMF using Ankh of Ascension)

Barkskin and Dragonskin are both extended, and Dragonskin is cast after Barkskin expires. This gives 16 hours of natural armor, so is included into stat block. Dragonskin also grants resist energy 20 to an element of choice (not sonic). Default, this will be fire. Other options depend on what expected enemies are.

Cloud wings improves fly speed 30 feet, hours/level. Excellent buff.

Voice of the Dragon gives +10 ENHANCEMENT to intimidate, diplomacy, bluff. This stacks with insight from Silvertongue mask, and competence from Lord mask.

Find the gap makes your first attack each round a touch attack. We make 1 attack each round, with many attack rolls. The implications are obvious, and brutal. Shouldn't need this except against enemies with CRAZY AC though. The only thing that might be challenging to hit between this and etherealness is a dragon using Scintillating Scales.

The Faceless seeks strong personalities and experiences; activities and people, that are vividly alive, or let him feel so. Over the years, his legend has built up: A masked man (woman?), wandering the world seeking the exotic, taking jobs at his whims, and utterly implacable. In some corners, mothers warn their children to behave, lest they be abducted, and in others, his legend is used as inspiration to performance. Utter inconsistency is his hallmark, and for all we know, he might be... behind you.

Level 3: is excellent as well. While the feat is useless at the moment, you get 2 inspiration that you can spend for +3 to damage on your manticore belt, for each hit. This is because Manticore belt functions as a single attack, with multiple attack rolls, like Greater Manyshot. As well, you can get a small boost to your trained skills, and more importantly, you unlock EVERY skill as a class skill, so we can start pumping disguise, bluff, and perform.
9 skill points: 6 bluff, 3 disguise

Level 4: gives a bit more essentia, and MANY more soulmeld options. Especially of note is Incarnate Avatar, which boosts ranged attack rolls, and Sighting Gloves, for more damage. Airstep Sandals will be useful once we can bind them, and/or get more incarnum. +1 dexterity
5 skill points: 1 bluff, 4 disguise

Level 5: hands out the Crown Chakra bind. While there aren't that many great options, Soulspark Helm gives you a bit more power with a familiar with a decent extra attack. Ignoring Charm and Concealment, and dealing Force damage with melee attacks are the other options, each of which has rather focused applications.
5 skill points: 1 bluff, 1 disguise, 3 Perform(acting)

Level 6: AWESOME LEVEL. You get +2 essentia capacity, 1 from level, 1 from Incarnate. This opens up your options offensively (4 spikes from manticore belt? YES PLEASE), and even moreso out of combat. Furthermore, you gain an additional 3 points of essentia (for 9 total), letting you throw around a bit of essentia into utility, like... Airstep sandals. 40 feet fly speed, even if you fall afterwards? Sure! Deflection bonuses to AC? Why not? One of the best early levels.

Oh, and you get a 1/day 1 minute +20 ft increase to land speed. Woohoo. Running away has never been this much fun.
5 skill points: 5 Perform(acting)

Level 9: More chameleon. This gives the most abusable feature, the floating Bonus Feat. Awww yeah. Use it to max out your soulmelds, (subject to constitution limit) since after shaping they last forever, to pick up any spells you feel like (improvsation! Trapsmith haste!), to chakra bind your Airstep Sandals with Open Least Chakra (since once bound, they stay bound!) and to pull general shenanigans. You should be using Assassin mask in combat, since adding 1d6+9 damage to each of your spines from sneak attack (Craven awesomeness) is TOO GOOD. You can probably end encounters just by raining 4 2d6+12 spines down, with decent to-hit from Incarnate Avatar and an Inspiration Point. You should also have decent UMD thanks to Mage's spectacles, and this means wands are fairly easy to use. Pick up some Gravestrike, Vinestrike, Sniper's shot, etc. Align Fang will come in handy to bypass some damage reduction, but it's not going to deal with metal types well (e.g. Cold Iron). You can power through these, or get weapon properties to beat DR, such as Transmuting, or Shadow Striking.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 1 rank, Knowledge Religion 2 ranks

Level 10 is another MoM level, progressing Chameleon casting. It also gives another mask. Take Archmage, for the caster level boost. While this won't be useful forever, right now it gives quite a quite nice benefit. You now have an arcane caster level of 8, and third level spells. Use the floating Bonus Feat for Arcane Disciple, and get Greater Magic Fang as an arcane spell, for another +1 to hit and damage. This may be cheesy. Alternatively, hope you have a druid in the party, or lock your bonus feat there until you get Double Aptitude focus. More speed boost from Incarnum Radiance, like you cared.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 2 ranks, Knowledge Religion 1 rank

Level 12 is another GREAT level of MoM, progressing casting (yay!). It also buffs all of your MoM masks, for another 1d6 SA damage. Oh, and +1 essentia capacity. Oh, and you finally have Phase Cloak in Shoulders Chakra. Etherealness on every move, attacking out of it with Flyby attack? Good luck to anything without See Invisibility, cause they're going to be eating sneak attacks all day. Oh, what's that? You can hide from them by going through the floor? And it's impossible to hear you? Even better. And spells give you even more options for hiding, not to mention sneak attacking immune creatures.

Level 13 is also awesome. You get access to 4'th level spells, with CL 12. Oh, another enhancement bonus to hit and damage from Greater Magic Fang? On a minor note, you also get Mimic Class feature, for a 1/day boost, like Rage, or more Sneak Attack.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, UMD 4 ranks,

Level 14 gives a delicious Ability boon, for more accuracy, or more spells. It also hands out even more spells, so you can buff further.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 1 rank, Concentration 4 ranks, Disguise 1 rank

Level 15 is better though. With Assassin's Stance (qualified for via bonus feat for Martial Study), you now don't have to worry about using Assassin mask for keeping Craven active. It's still probably your best offensive option though. Shennanigans from being able to take 2 aptitude foci/day begin here, so either be flexible, or buff yourself into the stratosphere with divine spells, then swap to arcane. 5'th level spells are nice, but nothing really stands out. A boost to flexibility from more Aptitude focus, and a boost to benefits from it, are tasty additions. Oh, and more Incarnum Radiance speed. I had to say it.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 1 rank, Concentration 4 ranks, Disguise 1 rank

Level 19: Mediocre, the first such level in a while. Hidden Mask is cute, but essentially useless. No spellcasting progression, no feat, no masks, no stat boosts. Content yourself with a boost to saves and BAB, and a sprinkling of skill points. About as good as an odd level in fighter.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Disguise 1 rank